Updated: Jul 18
Before we dive into ALL the shiny details of our elaborate plans for SDCC this year, we want to give a giant, BDH sized salute and express our gratitude to all the fine folks (and villainous ones too, who are we to judge?) who visited us at Wondercon, Fangaea, Comic-Con Revolution and Hellmouth Con these past few months. Thanks to your interest in our shiny wares, enduring support, and generosity, we were able to donate $ 1,833 to Pasadena Humane and $1,794 to Feed the Streets LA to help both on their ongoing missions to support the furry, and not so furry, victims of the LA wildfires. Take a Bow. Pat yourselves on the back. Bravo Zulu to each of you fine heroes.
Next up on our dance card? Why, it’s SDCC of course!
We have so much stuff happening this year, it’s hard to cram it all into this little newsletter! We’re celebrating Serenity’s 20th Anniversary and our 20th year appearing at SDCC, with a lot of Browncoat-y shenanigans; fitting for such a momentous occasion.
As always, we’re hoping those able to join us in San Diego will fall in love with this year’s new merch, stop to play the chopsticks game, or just drop by to say ‘Howdy!’ This year our booth proceeds support Charity:Water, the non profit chosen for us by our ruggedly handsome, bonnet wearin’ Cap’n, Nathan Fillion. Charity: Water remains dear to Nathan’s heart and we love the work that they do. We’ll let them tell you about it in their own words:
“Eight out of ten people without access to improved water sources live in rural areas. From the start, that’s where we’ve focused our efforts. We work with carefully-chosen local partner organizations to bring clean water to remote areas with the greatest needs and most vulnerable populations. We work with local partners to fund water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs for rural communities around the world. But our work doesn’t stop when construction ends. We remain committed to monitoring, evaluation, and maintenance to ensure that these programs operate sustainably for years to come."
Want to learn more about what we have hiding under our cunning hats this year? You’re in luck!
Is volunteering at a SDCC Convention Booth on your bucket list?
You can’t always book a ticket on a Firefly transport and sail off into the distance. Luckily, if you’re heading to SDCC this year, you can do the next best thing and check volunteering at a SDCC booth off your convention experience wish list.
If you have your own passes to SDCC and have some down time in your con schedule, consider joining us for a volunteer shift at the CABC booth (A/7, A/8). To volunteer, fill out this handy-dandy form: http://bit.ly/46qZHaz. We promise not to share your contact info with the Alliance.
Remember, you MUST have your own badge to enter the convention to volunteer at our booth. As a small non-profit, we’re not able to supply badges. Those able to join us for a shift (or two!) get access to our Drawer of Forbidden Carbs and bragging rights a-plenty to turn your friends, enemies, and frenemies green with envy when you return home!
Schedule of CABC Events
Thursday July 24: Geoffrey Mandel’s Garage Sale & Browncoat Boardgame Night
Join us from 2:00 - 3:00 PM in the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina Grand 10 & 11 rooms for the Browncoat Meetingroom panel. This year’s panel features talented Graphic Designer, Geoffrey Mandel. Geoffrey designed key graphic visuals from the movie, including the Serenity ship logo, Fruity Oaty Bar visuals, the heist money and more! Geoffrey has also leant his talents and imagination to visual design projects for Star Trek: Picard, This is Us, Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Voyager, and tons of other popular shows and properties!
At 4:00 PM, Geoffrey will join us at the booth as our celebrity guest. Signing in support of Charity:Water; the suggested donation for Geoffrey’s signature will be $10. Geoffrey is generously donating his time so that 100% of the collected donations can be donated to the charity. Need something to get signed? We’ll have lots of deadstock QmX Serenity merch, conveniently designed by Geoffrey himself, available for purchase in what we have taken to calling “Geoff Mandel’s Garage Sale.” Some of the prints we’ll have on hand during his signing are quite rare and we’ll have limited amounts available for purchase. If you’re looking to get your hands on some of Geoff’s goodies, make sure to mosey on over to the booth early in the signing period. Rumour has it he might also have some Star Trek stuff that needs to be rehomed! Of course, you’re always welcome to bring something from home to have it signed. Geoff also printed up something special, just for CABC, but more about that below.
Thursday evening we’re hosting Browncoat Boardgame Night in the SDCC gaming space from 8 PM to 10 PM in Pacific Ballroom 21 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina.
We’ll have a number of Firefly-themed boardgames, from Yahtzee! to Out To The Black, on hand to play. This family friendly hangout will have something for everyone. Perhaps even prizes! This year we hope to see a return of the younglings who played the heck out of Firefly Clue last year!
The fine print: This event takes place in an official SDCC convention space.
Attendees must have a Comic-Con badge to visit the gaming area.
No food or drink allowed in the gaming area. Please take time to grab a snack before visiting the gaming area.
Would you like to play a game? Friday July 25: Dr. Horrible Screening & Karaoke Party
Kick off the weekend with a high note at our traditional Dr. Horrible Screening and Karaoke Party in Room 6A from 8:30 - 10:00 PM. Singing along during our screening of fan fave Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog; then wow the audience with your rendition of Dr. H web series songs. Space and time are limited; first to come, first to rock out! Individuals and small groups can sign up for Karaoke at our booth (A/7) anytime prior to 7 PM Friday, or in room 6A before the screening begins to claim their spot on the roster.
Do not bounce!
But wait, there’s more. We’ve got the new, shiny Merch you’ve been looking for!
We got our hands on some new items just in time for SDCC that we can’t swear weren’t smuggled under the Alliance’s nose with a load of black market beagles. As always, you can only find these new goods at the CABC Booth:
57th Overlanders Metal Canteen designed for us by Dave Warner
Shiny (literally!) new stickers designed by William Pace with help from Drew Pace and Sean Kennedy
A Mal Reynolds challenge coin designed exclusively for us by Zac Pensol
And more new things than you can shake a wobble headed geisha doll at.
Did we mention that our guest this year is Geoffrey Mandel? We did? Good! Along with some great stories and fabulous art, he’ll be bringing along some items he designed for QmX, including Heist Money Packs and Malcolm Reynolds “To Be Bound” Posters. We’re also expecting to have a limited supply of other fan faves, such as Maps of the ‘Verse and Serenity BluePrints Reference Packs.
Geoff also has something set aside just for us. A con exclusive; The Jayne Cobb “To Be Bound” poster print. This image made an appearance only in the Qmx Lootcrate ‘zine, The Signal, in a much smaller format and lower quality. We will only have 20 prints of this precious cargo available. Walk quickly (don’t run, or the Con volunteers will find you!) and scoop one of these beauties into your collection. Prints will not be presold or held on order; first come, first served.
Auctions, Giveaways and One of a Kinds
Besides Geoffrey Mandel’s Jayne posters and other out of print rarities, we will have a few other hard to find treasures:
Brian Diederich of Boardandgrain has created something very special for us - the hand poured acrylic on one side features the Serenity Kanji shield, with the lyrics to the Firefly theme song laser cut into the back. This piece could be used as a tray, or displayed as art; it will not disappoint. Brian is a member of the Pittsburgh Browncoats, and we are honored to have such a masterfully crafted piece of Browncoat art in our booth!
Not to be outdone, CABC volunteer Tracy has sewn an UNBELIEVABLY shiny quilt out of some of our odd sized t-shirts. You might recognize some CABC classics from the past 20 years in this mix! This quilt will be offered as a silent auction in our booth, with all proceeds going to Charity:Water.
Finally, we will be giving away 2 tickets to our Big Damn Shindig in September, to one lucky Browncoat! This once in a lifetime party will occur over 4 days (Sept 18 - 21, 2025) in Newhall, California, and is a celebration of all things Browncoat, including the Browncoat Ball and a CSTS screening to benefit charity. There’s even a tour of some of the shooting locations from the show. It promises to be the social event of the season! Bring your favorite pilot! Or ships Doctor! Or companion!
More Fine Print: The tickets include all of the events of the weekend, but do not include travel to the event or hotel rooms in the area. To find out more about the event, visit browncoatball.com
The value of two tickets is equal to $440.
The drawing occurs Sunday, 7/27. You do not have to be present to win, we will call or text the winner.
Tickets for the drawing are a $10 suggested donation.
This is a big year and there’s more exciting news than we can squeeze in here. You’ll just have to visit the booth and see it all for yourself.
Around the ‘verse
Before we sign off, we want to spread the signal for some other Big Damn Heroes and their own CSTS event!
Pittsburgh Browncoats (Rivers and Bridges Brigade) are hosting their 20th (!!) CSTS event on July 27th at Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks. These good people haven’t missed a single year of Serenity screenings and this year sounds like it’s going to be especially shiny: games, prize drawings, a door prize and a special drawing for those in attendance who are seeing the Big Damn Movie for the first time. They are raising money for Equality Now and the American Legion’s “Be the One” initiative (a campaign aimed at reducing the rate of veteran suicide). Browncoats in Pittsburgh and area, it sounds like this is going to be a fabulous party. While we recommend leaving your rapiers at home and avoiding all duels, we do suggest bringing a friend, or six, along to the show. Make 2025 the year for making new Browncoats! Grab your tickets in advance. Can’t make the screening but want to support the Rivers and Bridges brigades good works? Buy the t-shirt to support the cause.
July is jam packed with shiny things to do across the ‘verse. I think that’s it for now! Except to remind you to buy your Big Damn Shindig tickets soon. Full weekend passes are almost sold out. Ball only tickets will go on sale soon!
Keep flyin',
The Captain